MER18-0052Sara M. Baker, President
Rebecca W. Arnold, Vice President
Jim D. Hansen, Commissioner
Kent Goldthorpe, Commissioner
Paul Woods, Commissioner
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Ada County Highway District • 3775 Adams Street • Garden City, ID • 83714 • PH 208-387-6100 • FX 345-7650 • www.achdidaho.org
May 15, 2018
To: Aaron Breinholt
The Battery Exchange
1026 N. Meridian Road
Meridian, ID 83642
Subject: MER18-0052 / A-2018-0147
1026 N. Meridian Road
The Battery Exchange
In response to your request for comment, the Ada County Highway District has reviewed the
submitted application and site plan for the item referenced above. It has been determined
that ACHD has site specific conditions of approval for this application.
A. Findings of Fact
1. Meridian Road
a. Access Policy: District policy 7205.4.7 states that direct access to principal
arterials is typically prohibited. If a property has frontage on more than one street,
access shall be taken from the street having the lesser functional classification. If
it is necessary to take access to the higher classified street due to a lack of
frontage, the minimum allowable spacing shall be based on Table 1b under
District policy 7205.4.7, unless a waiver for the access point has been approved
by the District Commission. Driveways, when approved on a principal arterial
shall operate as a right-in/right-out only, and the District will require the
construction of a raised median to restrict the left turning movements.
Driveway Location Policy: District policy 7205.4.7 requires driveways located
on principal arterial roadways to be located a minimum of 355-feet from the
nearest intersection for a right-in/right-out only driveway. Full-access driveways
are not allowed on principal arterial roadways.
Minor Improvements Policy: District Policy 7203.3 states that minor
improvements to existing streets adjacent to a proposed development may be
required. These improvements are to correct deficiencies or replace deteriorated
facilities. Included are sidewalk construction or replacement; curb and gutter
construction or replacement; replacement of unused driveways with curb, gutter
and sidewalk; installation or reconstruction of pedestrian ramps; pavement
repairs; signs; traffic control devices; and other similar items.
b. Existing Conditions: Meridian Road is improved with 5 travel lanes, vertical
curb, gutter and sidewalk abutting the site.
There is an existing 18-foot wide curb cut type driveway onto Meridian Road from
the site, located 140-feet south of Carlton Avenue (measured centerline-to-
centerline).
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ada County Highway District • 3775 Adams Street • Garden City, ID • 83714 • PH 208-387-6100 • FX 345-7650 • www.achdidaho.org
c. Staff Comments/Recommendations: Meridian Road is already fully improved,
no additional right-of-way dedication or improvements are required for this
application.
The existing driveway on Meridian Road does not meet District access or
driveway location policies. The applicant should be required to close the existing
driveway with vertical curb, gutter and sidewalk to match the existing
improvements.
Consistent with ACHD’s Minor Improvements Policy, the applicant should be
required to correct deficiencies and replace any broken or deteriorated portions of
curb, gutter and sidewalk on Meridian Road abutting the site.
2. Carlton Avenue
a. Driveway Location Policy: District policy 7207.4.1 requires driveways near
intersections to be located a minimum of 75-feet (measured centerline-to-
centerline) from the nearest local street intersection, and 150-feet from the
nearest collector or arterial street intersection.
Minor Improvements Policy: District Policy 7203.3 states that minor
improvements to existing streets adjacent to a proposed development may be
required. These improvements are to correct deficiencies or replace deteriorated
facilities. Included are sidewalk construction or replacement; curb and gutter
construction or replacement; replacement of unused driveways with curb, gutter
and sidewalk; installation or reconstruction of pedestrian ramps; pavement
repairs; signs; traffic control devices; and other similar items.
b. Existing Conditions: Carlton Avenue is improved as a 33-foot street section
with curb, gutter and sidewalk abutting the site.
There is an existing 23-foot wide curb cut type driveway on Carlton Avenue
abutting the site, located 74-feet from Meridian Road (measured centerline-to-
centerline).
c. Staff Comments/Recommendations: No additional right-of-way or street
improvements are required for Carlton Avenue abutting the site.
The existing driveway on Carlton Avenue does not meet District driveway spacing
requirements, which requires driveways on local streets to be located a minimum
of 150-feet from an arterial roadway, Meridian Road. Staff recommends a
modification of policy to allow the existing driveway on Carlton Avenue to remain
in its current location as there is not adequate frontage to meet the minimum 150-
foot spacing requirement from Meridian Road.
Consistent with ACHD’s Minor Improvements Policy, the applicant should be
required to correct deficiencies and replace any broken or deteriorated portions of
curb, gutter and sidewalk on Carlton Avenue abutting the site.
B. Site Specific Conditions of Approval
1. Close the existing driveway on Meridian Road with vertical curb, gutter and sidewalk to
match the existing improvements.
2. Correct deficiencies and replace any broken or deteriorated portions of curb, gutter and
sidewalk on Meridian Road and Carlton Avenue abutting the site.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ada County Highway District • 3775 Adams Street • Garden City, ID • 83714 • PH 208-387-6100 • FX 345-7650 • www.achdidaho.org
3. A Traffic Impact Fee may be assessed by ACHD and will be due prior to issuance of a
building permit. Please contact the ACHD Planner (see below) for information regarding
impact fees.
4. Plans shall be submitted to the ACHD Development Review Department for plans
acceptance, and impact fee assessment (if an assessment is applicable).
5. Comply with the Standard Conditions of Approval as noted below.
C. Traffic Information
Trip Generation
This development is estimated to generate 64 additional vehicle trips per day; and 5
additional vehicle trips per hour in the PM peak hour, based on the Institute of Transportation
Engineers Trip Generation Manual, 9th edition.
Condition of Area Roadways: Traffic Count is based on Vehicles per hour (VPH)
Roadway Frontage Functional
Classification
PM Peak Hour
Traffic Count
PM Peak Hour
Level of Service
Meridian Road 120-feet Principal Arterial 925 Better than “E”
Carlton Avenue 50-feet Local 53 N/A
* Acceptable level of service for a five-lane principal arterial is “E” (1,780 VPH).
Average Daily Traffic Count (VDT): Average daily traffic counts are based on ACHD’s most
current traffic counts
The average daily traffic count for Meridian Road south of Fairview Avenue was
17,861 on January 27, 2016.
The average daily traffic count for Carlton Avenue west of Main Street was 750 on
March 8, 2017.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (208) 387-6335.
Sincerely,
Austin Miller
Planner II
Development Services
cc: City of Meridian, via e-mail
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Ada County Highway District • 3775 Adams Street • Garden City, ID • 83714 • PH 208-387-6100 • FX 345-7650 • www.achdidaho.org
Vicinity Map
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Ada County Highway District • 3775 Adams Street • Garden City, ID • 83714 • PH 208-387-6100 • FX 345-7650 • www.achdidaho.org
Site Plan
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Ada County Highway District • 3775 Adams Street • Garden City, ID • 83714 • PH 208-387-6100 • FX 345-7650 • www.achdidaho.org
Standard Conditions of Approval
1. All proposed irrigation facilities shall be located outside of the ACHD right -of-way
(including all easements). Any existing irrigation facilities shall be relocated outside of
the ACHD right-of-way (including all easements).
2. Private Utilities including sewer or water systems are prohibited from being located
within the ACHD right-of-way.
3. In accordance with District policy, 7203.6, the applicant may be required to update any
existing non-compliant pedestrian improvements abutting the site to meet current
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The applicant’s engineer should
provide documentation of ADA compliance to District Development Review staff for
review.
4. Replace any existing damaged curb, gutter and sidewalk and any that may be damaged
during the construction of the proposed development. Contact Construction Services at
387-6280 (with file number) for details.
5. A license agreement and compliance with the District’s Tree Planter policy is required
for all landscaping proposed within ACHD right-of-way or easement areas.
6. All utility relocation costs associated with improving street frontages abutting the site
shall be borne by the developer.
7. It is the responsibility of the applicant to verify all existing utilities within the right-of-way.
The applicant at no cost to ACHD shall repair existing utilities damaged by the
applicant. The applicant shall be required to call DIGLINE (1-811-342-1585) at least
two full business days prior to breaking ground within ACHD right-of-way. The applicant
shall contact ACHD Traffic Operations 387-6190 in the event any ACHD conduits
(spare or filled) are compromised during any phase of construction.
8. Utility street cuts in pavement less than five years old are not allowed unless appro ved
in writing by the District. Contact the District’s Utility Coordinator at 387-6258 (with file
numbers) for details.
9. All design and construction shall be in accordance with the ACHD Policy Manual,
ISPWC Standards and approved supplements, Construction Services procedures and
all applicable ACHD Standards unless specifically waived herein. An engineer
registered in the State of Idaho shall prepare and certify all improvement plans.
10. Construction, use and property development shall be in conformance with all applicable
requirements of ACHD prior to District approval for occupancy.
11. No change in the terms and conditions of this approval shall be valid unless they are in
writing and signed by the applicant or the applicant’s authorized representative and an
authorized representative of ACHD. The burden shall be upon the applicant to obtain
written confirmation of any change from ACHD.
12. If the site plan or use should change in the future, ACHD Planning Review will review
the site plan and may require additional improvements to the transportation system at
that time. Any change in the planned use of the property which is the subject of this
application, shall require the applicant to comply with ACHD Policy and Standard
Conditions of Approval in place at that time unless a waiver/variance of the
requirements or other legal relief is granted by the ACHD Commission.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ada County Highway District • 3775 Adams Street • Garden City, ID • 83714 • PH 208-387-6100 • FX 345-7650 • www.achdidaho.org
Request for Appeal of Staff Decision
1. Appeal of Staff Decision: The Commission shall hear and decide appeals by an
applicant of the final decision made by the Development Services Manager when it is
alleged that the Development Services Manager did not properly apply this section
7101.6, did not consider all of the relevant facts presented, made an error of fact or law,
abused discretion or acted arbitrarily and capriciously in the interpretation or enforcement
of the ACHD Policy Manual.
a. Filing Fee: The Commission may, from time to time, set reasonable fees to be
charged the applicant for the processing of appeals, to cover administrative costs.
b. Initiation: An appeal is initiated by the filing of a written notice of appeal with the
Secretary and Clerk of the District, which must be filed within ten (10) working
days from the date of the decision that is the subject of the appeal. The notice of
appeal shall refer to the decision being appealed, identify the appellant by name,
address and telephone number and state the grounds for the appeal. The grounds
shall include a written summary of the provisions of the policy relevant to the
appeal and/or the facts and law relied upon and shall include a written argument
in support of the appeal. The Commission shall not consider a notice of appeal
that does not comply with the provisions of this subsection.
c. Time to Reply: The Development Services Manager shall have ten (10) working
days from the date of the filing of the notice of appeal to reply to the notice of the
appeal, and may during such time meet with the appellant to discuss the matter,
and may also consider and/or modify the decision that is being appealed. A copy
of the reply and any modifications to the decision being appealed will be provided
to the appellant prior to the Commission hearing on the appeal.
d. Notice of Hearing: Unless otherwise agreed to by the appellant, the hearing of the
appeal will be noticed and scheduled on the Commission agenda at a regular
meeting to be held within thirty (30) days following the delivery to the appellant of
the Development Services Manager’s reply to the notice of appeal. A copy of the
decision being appealed, the notice of appeal and the reply shall be delivered to
the Commission at least one (1) week prior to the hearing.
e. Action by Commission: Following the hearing, the Commission shall either affirm
or reverse, in whole or part, or otherwise modify, amend or supplement the
decision being appealed, as such action is adequately supported by the law and
evidence presented at the hearing.